imaginaba
ee-mah-hee-NAH-bah
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
Cuando era niño, imaginaba que vivía en un castillo.
A2When I was little, I used to imagine that I lived in a castle.
Ella no sabía qué pasaba, solo imaginaba lo peor.
B1She didn't know what was happening, she was only imagining the worst.
Yo imaginaba que el viaje sería más difícil, pero fue fácil.
B1I had imagined (or was imagining) that the trip would be harder, but it was easy.
💡 Grammar Points
Imperfect Tense Function
"Imaginaba" describes an action that was ongoing or repeated many times in the past. Think of it as 'was imagining' or 'used to imagine'.
Yo vs. Él/Ella/Usted
In the imperfect tense, the 'yo' (I) form and the 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal) form are exactly the same: 'imaginaba'. You must rely on the subject or the context to know who is doing the imagining.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Imperfect vs. Preterite
Mistake: "Using 'imaginó' (preterite) when describing a continuous state: 'Yo imaginó que el sol brillaba.'"
Correction: Use 'imaginaba' (imperfect) to describe the background state or ongoing thought: 'Yo imaginaba que el sol brillaba.' The preterite ('imaginó') is only for a single, completed moment of imagining.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use with Descriptions
Use 'imaginaba' when describing a past mental state or situation that lasted for an unspecified time, often introduced by phrases like 'antes' (before) or 'cuando era joven' (when I was young).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: imaginaba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'imaginaba' to describe a repetitive past action?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'imaginaba' mean both 'I was imagining' and 'He/She was imagining'?
In the imperfect tense, the verb ending for 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/you formal) is identical. Spanish speakers rely on the context of the conversation or the use of the subject pronoun (like 'yo' or 'él') to clarify who is performing the action.
Is 'imaginaba' the same as 'estaba imaginando'?
They are very similar! 'Estaba imaginando' (the continuous past) emphasizes that the action was happening right at that moment. 'Imaginaba' (the simple imperfect) is more general and can mean it was happening continuously OR that it was a repeated habit.